Being in So.Fla we don't get a chance to go to meets. Mt.Dora was the closest and Jacksonville is way to far away. So I don't checkout Radio Related Events very often.I may get in trouble, but I wanted to bring this to the forefront. Gary Taymen hasn't given upcompletely. It's tentatively set for Dec 9 in Sarasota Fl. It looks like it may be small, but I'll be there.At least someone is trying to keep this alive down here.

There are no further meets, or even club meetings, that I am aware of.

I thought about this last weekend. This would have been the time for Mt. Dora III.

It has been a weird feeling, and I guess a life event that contributes to maturity. For many years I had hoped for a national scale meet in Florida, with the obvious location being Renninger's in Mt. Dora. I wanted Sarasota to thrive, not necessarily being national but large enough to attract people regionally. Sarasota, I gave it my best, and although it didn't quite reach regional stature, it DID survive and actually thrived for some years, where previously it was all but dead. As for Mt. Dora, Renninger's called ME with the proposal -- and I gave THAT my best shot.

I run my own business. I never read a book or took a class that gave me step-by-step instructions on how to build a national business servicing/updating vintage car radios, nor have I run any business period. I was brought up in the scenario of getting a 9-5 job and taking home a salary. So in other words I learned it all the hard way -- but I learned it. Working from home, I have become one of the largest business of this type, with about 160 dealers worldwide.

So, with experience under my belt, I can tell you there's no elusive secret or magic formula to becoming successful. Simply treat customers right, do professional work, and promote, promote, promote. They will beat down your door.

The Sarasota Radio Meet went from nearly dead, to full building capacity, in a very short time by doing one major thing -- promotion. Unfortunately the amount of promotion needed was more than I could do on my own -- especially since I've been working long hours at my business. The problem I had was convincing the others that promotion is the most important aspect of running the show. The prosperity dwindled with the lack of promotion.

Mt. Dora had the same problem, though very surprising. Renninger's insisted that they would promote the show in Orlando, and didn't do it -- at least not the second time. I promoted it in my own circles, but even this got disrupted when dealers couldn't pre-register. I don't need to rehash the details, but suffice it to say I did my part but nobody else seemed to do theirs. The final nail in the Mt. Dora coffin was the date conflict with Hamcation, which I knew nothing about till it was too late, and Renninger's never followed up with a date change. Had there been the slightest interest in promotion, we would have easily survived the Hamcation conflict. And no, the "Radio Exchange" title was NOT the problem -- it was the lazy attitude toward promotion.

Are Florida dealers and hobbyists better off? No; there are no nearby events -- except maybe FAWG in Orlando. I wish the movie had a different ending. BUT -- reflecting on this a year later, I am so glad, and so relieved, that I have no duties or responsibilities for any such show. Business is suddenly taking off like a rocket, and I have more time to devote to my customers and my bank account. Scripture says all things work together for good, and I believe it indeed worked out for the best, at least for me. In other words, a year later I have closure.

Then again, I don't want to sound selfish. Others are mourning the death of the Florida meets. Florida hobbyists are not being served. I feel bad for them. But I suppose I have no choice but to walk away. HOWEVER, I have made it clear, to everyone that has contacted me on this, that although I'm finished with running these shows, I will gladly support anyone else who wants to start up such events. I'll give you ideas and guidelines; I'll tell you how to promote and run the shows; I'll give you all the moral support I can. BUT -- YOU have to commit; YOU have to plan; YOU have to promote. Don't kid yourselves; there are plenty of radio people and electronics hobbyists in Florida. If you want a show, with a little planning and groundwork you can do it, and it WILL be successful. But it takes more than one person, and everyone needs to stick to the plan. Your reward will be a successful show.

I used to go to them about a decade ago (some might remember me as the kid with the hat), back when I lived in Florida...Those were good sized, good quality meets back then...Hard to imagine a meet like that going bust. A year or two ago I tried to call Dennis of FAWG/radio relics (was looking for some info or parts) to find out he had passed away some time ago. I'd have figured he had a few more decades in him...I wonder if FAWG is still going?

Amazing how things change when one is away a long time.

If Sarasota can go under it makes me worry about the future of other clubs.

I believe there is a FAWG meet coming up really soon. I haven't paid much attention because, to be honest, I'm not interested in going -- even though I have some saved tubes and parts that might be worthwhile to someone. April 1 and April 8 I'm DJ'ing for car shows, so I can't go anyway if the show is either weekend.

What happened in Sarasota is multifaceted. A couple years ago we lost the Knights of Columbus hall -- big letdown. We moved to the Elks Lodge in west Bradenton, which is a super facility but a long drive from anywhere -- not close to the interstate as was the K of C.

The other big problem was the lack of promotion. I can't do it all. Others didn't feel the need. Promotion is the key to it all, period. One other member was on board with this, but he got a full time job which prevented him from doing much. Bottom line, very little promotion.

The straw that broke the camel's back turned out to be Mt. Dora. A little over a year ago, all things were full speed ahead. I had outlined a plan for growing this national meet, and using the Sarasota meets in between to recruit helpers for Mt. Dora. It was all coming together when (1) Renninger's -- what can I say, we did our part, they didn't do theirs -- huge surprise, as they host Kutztown (2) the date landed on the same weekend as a big hamfest in Orlando, and I was unaware of this until it was too late (3) this disaster of a show sucked the energy out of the other club members, to the point where no less than FOUR new people wanted to join the club but the other existing members couldn't be less interested -- and it showed. That's when I threw up my hands and said it's time to give up.

We scheduled one more local meet, at an open air lot. I got talked into participating again. I got there, and sat in my car for two hours waiting for a second person to show up. Then I drove away. THAT was the end of the Sarasota meets.

I will not run another radio meet, ever. I WILL offer assistance to others, if they want to kick start another event, but they have to plan it and THEY have to do the work Then I may show up. As for Renninger's in Mt. Dora, I feel safe in saying there will never be another one, hosted by anybody, ever. Don't take this the wrong way; I hope I'm wrong, I hope someone steps to the plate and gets it going, but I cannot think of one person in the entire state of Florida who would be willing to do it. Another Sarasota meet by someone else? Doubtful but possible.

I've closed the door on this, didn't really want to bring it up again but I guess had to explain it. Right now it's a blessing in disguise for me. Business is taking off, and I'm better off concentrating on my own business than using my resources for these shows. There are plenty of dealers, and lots of hobbyists, who are disappointed, but I can't help it. The Almighty One has pushed me out of it, and He must have a reason.

i ran the miami hamfest for two years and volunteered in it for over a decade. what a whine fest... boohoo prices are too high.. boohoo i have to walk too far... boohoo nobody showed up this place is empty. it was such a boohoo fest that i did what no other hamfest chairman did and open the books to anyone that wanted to look. when they saw the $18k the fairgrounds charged us just to have the event, the boohoo'ing stopped but attendance didn't change.

i wish we had a decent radio event down here but south fl is known for having a large amount of the population that is just working to survive. exorbitant rents and car insurance rates coupled with weak wages leave little play money. seems like the whole bottom third of the state suffers from this, miami specially. im in homestead and one of two guys collecting tube radios down here im aware of.

i see ESRC has an event but its a heck of a drive for a tailgate. maybe all we have is the makings of an active online community. uShip has worked out for me to move big things around the state so its feasible to move consoles and such economically.